1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a treatment device for an endoscope for coagulating and cutting body tissue in the body by using an endoscope.
2. Description of Related Art
In the field of endoscopic surgery there are a variety of prior art devices for cutting body tissue. These devices include various needle-tipped cutting electrodes, crescent and oval shaped snares, papillotomy/sphincterotomy devices, fixed hook-shaped electrodes, insulator chipped wire electrodes, and other designs that are intended for specific therapeutic applications. While there are some devices which are too large to pass through the endoscope's channel and must be attached to the exterior surface of the endoscope, or back-loaded into the channel of the endoscope, most of these devices collapse into the sheath of the treatment device, and thereby transform into a size and shape that can pass freely through the channel of the endoscope. Likewise, the present invention focuses on an apparatus that can collapse and pass through the channel of the endoscope.
A basic tenet of surgery is that cutting body tissue, whether by a sharp scalpel (i.e., a cold cut) or by electrosurgical current (i.e., hot cut), is best performed when traction is applied to the body tissue. Traction puts tension on the flaccid body tissue being cut and facilitates separation of the parts being incised. In open surgery, traction is applied by pulling or stretching the body tissue with the surgeon's fingers or by holding it with a treatment device(s). In open surgery, the surgeon has full and easy control over the movement of the scalpel or electrosurgical cutting tool.